of chicago



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE. f

JOHN L.` FLANNERY, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 V'lll-IIE) BOYE NEEDLE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DISPLAY-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Applica-tion filed October 3, 1918. Serial No. 256,668.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. FLANNERY, J r., a citizen of the United States, resldmg at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a newand use ful Improvement in Display-Cabinets, of whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to display cabinets adapted for storingand d1splaying small articles of merchandlse, es-` pecially hand-crochet needles.

The primary object is to provide a cabinet of simple and inexpensive construction .which will facilitate the display and sale of small articles of merchandise of the character indicated.

The present invention constitutes a modiication vof the invention disclosed in my application No. 256,667 filedl October 3, 1918, of even date herewith. p

The present invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l represents a perspective View of a display cabinet constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a vertlcal sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3, a view, on an enlarged scale, of a crochet needle and its sheath, the improved cabinet being especially useful for the display and sale of needles of this character.

In the construction illustratedyA represents a base equipped with a box A1; B, an upstanding tray having its lower end-portion rigidly mounted on the base, said tray being provided with two series of elongated compartments, the two series being arranged 1n stepped relation; and C, a movable closure for the tray.

The base A may comprise a base-block, or board, adapted to be supported iiatwise on a counter; and the box A1 com rises the rear wall 1, the end walls 11, and t e lower portion of the back wall of the tray B.

The tray B comprises a front series of parallel, elongated compartments B1, and a rear series of parallel elongated compartments B2 occupying a stepped relationwith respect to the front series of compartments. The tray is constructed with a series of parallel rearwardly and upwardly-inclined walls 2, 21, and 2b, which extend from one end of the base to the other, these walls being separated a small distance to afford spaces, which are divided into the compart ments by means of partition walls 3 and 4.

The wall 2 constitutes the rear wall of the tray and also the front wall of the base-box )'A1. The wall 2i1 is the intermediate wall, and constitutes the front wall of the rear series Vof compartments and the rear wall of the front series of compartments. The wall 2b constitutes the front wall of the Vfront series of compartments. The rear wall 2 rises some distance above the upper end of the intermediate wall 21, so that in effect the front wall of the rear series of compartments is cut away, leaving the upper portions of the compartments open in front and at their upper ends. The intermediate wall 2 1 rises some distance above the upper edge of the front wall 2", so that in effect the upper portion-of the Wall 2b is cut away, leaving the upper portions of the front series of the com-V partments B1 open at their front side and at their upper ends. The lower ends ofthe front series of compartments B1 are provided with a wall 5; and the lower ends of the rear series of compartments B2 are provided With a bottom wall 6.

From the description given, it will befunderstood that the crochet needles 7 may be introduced into the compartments, with the ends of their handles resting upon the bottom walls of the compartments, and the hook portions of the crochet needles willbe exposed, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The closureV C comprises an open rectangular frame having an upper wall 8, the lateral walls 81, and a cross-bar 8b, said frame supporting a window 8, which may be of glass or other transparent medium. The top member 8 and the side members 8a of the frame mentioned are adapted to embrace the sides and upper portion of the tray. The side members 8a are extended or provided with pivot-arms 81 at their lower ends, which are connected, by pivots 9, to the lateral or end walls of the tray. The cross-member 8b, in the closed position of the closure C, bears against the upper portion of the front wall 2b of the tray. The window 8c permits the contents of the compartments to be viewed. The window is preferably provided with a series of numbers D along the lower portion thereof, affording a number for each compartment of the lower front series of compartments of the tray. The upper portion of the window is provided with a series of Patented Dee. 16, 1919.

numbers D1, affording a number corresponding with each compartment of the rear upper series of compartments of the tray. ln the illustration given, the lower series of numerals D runs from l to 7; and the upper series of numbers runs from S to ll. These numbers correspond with the sizes ot' the crochet needles, enabling the needles to be introduced into the compartments in assorted sizes, and to be at once located by the salesman when a customer desires a needle of a given size.

It is customary to provide sheaths 7a, which can be slipped upon the hooked end of the crochet needle when a sale is effected, so that the needle may be conveniently carried. The receptacle afforded by the baseboX A1 affords a convenient place for storing the sheaths, as indicated in Fig. 2.'

The upper wall 8 of the closure C is preferably provided with a spring catch l0, which is adapted to engage the upper end of the rear wall 2 of the tray when the closure is in the closed position, as indicated in Fig. 2; The closure may be opened by swinging it forwardly about the pivots 9 until the bar Sb rests upon the iront edge-portion of the base A. Thus, ready access to needle compartments is gained.

Preferably two parallel series of compartments arranged in stepped relation and inclined rearwardly and upwardly are employed, as in the illustration given. However, the compartments are so constructed as to afford sockets into which the handle-portions of the crochet needles may be dropped, so that it will be understood that the inclination of the compartments is not absolutely essential.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, but the claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

That I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a display cabinet, the combination of a base, an inclined tray rising from and rigidly supported by said ibase, said tray having a plurality or series of parallel elongated compartments, said series being arranged inV stepped relation and said compartments having open fronts at their upper port-ions, and a closure for said tray which is adapted to be opened by swinging forwardly and downwardly, said closure having a transparent wall through which the contents vof said compartments may be viewed and having flanges which house the tray.

2. In a display cabinet, the combination of a base provided with a boX an upstand ing rearwardly-inclined tray having vits lower end mounted on said base iny front of said box, said tray,v comprising a plurality of series of elongated compartments, said series arranged in stepped relation and the front walls of said compartments being cut away, and a forwardly-swinging closure for said tray provided lwith a transparent wall through which the contents of saidcompart ments may be viewed.

3. In a display cabinet, the combination of a base, an inclined tray having itslower end secured on said base, said tray comprising a plurality of series of parallel lelongated compartments, said series arranged in stepped relation and having front walls with cut-away upper portions, and a closure for said tray comprising a frame adapted to embrace the upper portion of the tray and arms depending from said closure and having pivotal supports near the lower end of the tray, said closure having a transparent wall through which the contents of said compartments may be viewed and'said closure being adapted to swing forwardly to give access to the interior of the tray.

' JOHN L. FLANNERY, JR. 

